Fifa's desire to force the controversial 6+5 rule on English clubs appears to have been dealt a mortal blow by the European Commission. Football's world governing body had high hopes that the rule, under which six players in every starting line-up would have to be qualified to play for the national team where the club is based, could be introduced under a "specificity of sport" provision, giving it an exemption from European legal norms. Last month Fifa delivered a 200-page report compiled by legal experts in support of its claims.

Jan Figel, the European commissioner for culture and the EC's highest authority on sporting matters, has ordered an analysis of the Fifa-funded report ahead of talks with Zurich officials. But even before those talks Figel has roundly scotched Fifa's ambitions. "The Commission cannot agree to an illegal system," he said. "So, as long as Fifa keeps on proposing the 6+5 rule as it is currently formulated, the Commission will not be able to endorse [it] within the European Union. It's as simple as that: the 6+5 rule cannot apply within the EU."

Although he added that the "specificity of sport" provision was a red herring because he considers 6+5 to be discriminatory, Figel invited Fifa to introduce the rule regardless, adding to the website epltalk.com: "If Fifa were to impose the 6+5 rule in the EU, any professional football clubs or players who felt that they were treated unfairly by the rule could take the issue to the court," he said. "And they would win."

Bond gets his day in court

Kevin Bond's libel claim against the BBC for allegations made in the 2006 Panorama programme Football's Dirty Secrets will take place at the high court next month. The case is scheduled for two weeks from 15 June at the Queen's Bench division of the high court with Sir David Eady, who famously awarded Max Mosley a record £60,000 in his privacy case against the News of the World last year, expected to be appointed as judge. Bond's case will consider whether the BBC was right to portray Bond as being interested in prospective payments of bungs. Bond denies ever soliciting or receiving an illegal payment.

Toughest ticket in town

Millwall fans hoping to travel to Leeds United for what police expect would be an incendiary play-off clash will be forced to apply for tickets through a voucher scheme. West Yorkshire police will restrict the travelling contingent to 1,000 and provide vouchers for exchange into match tickets at a motorway service station if, as expected, the two clubs are play-off opponents. Metropolitan Police will similarly restrict travelling fans at the New Den, limits both the Leeds and Millwall supporters' trusts are protesting against.

Setanta revs up

Setanta provided firm evidence yesterday of life after the loss of Premier League matches with the 11th-hour acquisition of four motorsport rights. The broadcaster was forced to undertake a wholesale review of its business after the Premier League restricted Setanta's 2010-2013 top-flight football offering to Saturday evening games following a rights auction. But the FIA GT touring car series, German Toca, the GP2 series – which as Formula 3000 was Lewis Hamilton's testing ground – and the Superleague Formula, replete with cars branded as football clubs, will be available to Setanta viewers from this weekend. It is also launching an online live and on-demand service to compete with the BBC's iPlayer and the Sky Player of its great rival.

Dennis feels the love

Max Mosley learned yesterday that the wider motor sport industry retains respect for Ron Dennis, regardless of his repeated acts of retribution towards the former McLaren man. Dennis was handed a Sports Industry lifetime achievement award in what is bound to have been a deliberately timed move. The news was announced little more than 24 hours after the McLaren team Dennis used to lead were handed a suspended three-race ban by the FIA, the governing body of which Mosley is president, over the "Liargate" affair and two years after a $100m fine for "Spygate". The formula one rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone, is another past winner, but it is hard to see Mosley ever picking up the gong.